


Dancing in the Clouds

by GabzJones



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Clouds, Dancing, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2018-07-24
Packaged: 2019-06-15 15:23:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15415902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GabzJones/pseuds/GabzJones
Summary: Creating clouds could be a lonely life, but Yuuri had company in the form of Victor, a cumulus maker. His fluffy creations and brilliant smile had Yuuri completely smitten. If only he could allow himself to make a move, to tell Victor how he really feels.





	Dancing in the Clouds

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by [this beautiful piece of art](https://crimson-chains.tumblr.com/post/166447936275/a-cloud-waltz-w) by the amazing [Crimson Chains](https://crimson-chains.tumblr.com/) who was kind enough to let me use it for this story. Check out her work, it's awesome!

Stratus clouds. Hanging low to the ground and covering the skies like a blanket. Some seemed foreboding, bringing fogs and darkness in their wake. Others were bright, warm and welcoming. Yuuri liked to think his clouds were a mix of the two. The best of both worlds, some might say. It would’ve been lonely living in the clouds, especially when his were so low to the ground, away from the others, but Yuuri wasn’t alone. Not completely.

Company came in the form of one beautiful, bubbly, and enticingly charming cumulus maker. With a personality just as fluffy and welcoming as his clouds, Victor lived low to the ground, too, spending his time making shapes from his woolly creations. His clouds were always bright; smaller than Yuuri’s, but easily malleable. They were perfect. Victor was perfect.

Perched on his cloud like a magic carpet floating gently in the sky, Yuuri watched Victor with his chin rested on his hands. Silver hair fell into Victor’s eyes as he worked carefully on his newest cloud creature, tongue jutting out the side of his mouth as he concentrated on his task. Sometimes Yuuri watched the humans below, smiling as they went about their lives. More often, though, he found himself watching Victor and trying to figure out what he was making out of the fluffy clouds this time.

“What do you think?” Victor’s voice suddenly filled the air, smile beaming in Yuuri’s direction as he gestured towards his newest creation, “Can you tell what it is?”

Yuuri got to his feet, his blanket of cloud extending beneath him as he walked around, trying to get a better angle of the fluffy art. He knew what it was immediately, but it was more fun to pretend, to take his time trying to figure out what on earth it could be. Victor’s reactions were always worth it. Yuuri hummed softly as he tilted his head, looking over a hoof held high in the air, “A cow?”

“Yuuuuri!” Victor pouted, drawing out Yuuri’s name as he whined, “You know it’s not a cow.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Yuuri chuckled, “You know unicorns aren’t real, right?” Yuuri pointed out, gesturing to the horn atop the fluffy horse’s head. Despite the sharpness of the point, it still looked harmless. Like a unicorn made of cotton candy.

“Humans don’t believe we’re real, but here we are,” Victor smirked, clearly proud of himself for making such a logical point.

Yuuri couldn’t deny it. Humans didn’t believe there were beings who created the clouds. It was all based on one all powerful god or something similar. It really depended on the human you listened to. But none really had the right story. They weren’t deities. Just beings living out the lives they were born into. But that wasn’t the point. The point was that they were real, that despite what humans believed, they existed. Victor existed. And that alone was a blessing. The world just wouldn’t be as bright without Victor’s smile, Yuuri was certain.

“Oh! That reminds me, I made something for you.”

Yuuri frowned as he watched Victor curiously. He was always making Yuuri silly gifts. A fluffy cloud rose or sculpting his favourite animals. Yuuri wished he could do the same, but his clouds weren’t nearly as malleable as Victor’s. Instead, all he could offer was his company, and Yuuri wasn’t so sure he was offering him much on that front. Yuuri couldn’t deny his nerves when he was close to Victor. After all, he was beautiful, he was sweet, talented. Anyone would be smitten if they spent a little time with Victor, and that was exactly the problem.

Yuuri couldn’t allow himself to fall for his friend. He couldn’t allow himself that indulgence, knowing that ruining what little they had now would be truly heartbreaking. Yuuri couldn’t imagine his life without Victor’s fluffy clouds or bright smile. So of course, he had to keep his feelings to himself, to watch and admire Victor from afar. It would’ve been easier if Victor wasn’t so adorable, so enticingly sweet. It wasn’t fair. Yuuri only had so much restraint.

“Go on, boy,” Victor was looking down at the clouds he was standing on, enticing something to make a move, though what it was, Yuuri couldn’t be sure.

An excited yapping noise filled the air and Yuuri froze. The fluffy cloud next to Victor’s feet started moving, two little eyes peering over the edge of their platform and looking straight at Yuuri. And suddenly the tiny creature leapt from Victor’s cloud, floating easily across the distance between them and landing on Yuuri’s. A poodle. A small, white, fluffy poodle made from clouds was rushing at him, it’s eager barks like wind chimes as he jumped up at Yuuri.

Though the dog weighed nothing at all, Yuuri had prepared for the impact, losing his balance and falling backwards onto his cloudy carpet. The small dog sat on his chest, it’s tongue lolling to the side of it’s mouth as it panted, tiny tail thumping back and forth on Yuuri’s stomach.

“Victor!” The dog yapped enthusiastically at the use of it’s creator’s name, “What did you do!?”

“Isn’t he the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?” Victor was bouncing on his heels in his own excitement. Not that Yuuri could see with a little poodle pinning him to the cloud.

Yuuri wasn’t sure how to answer that. The dog certainly was adorable, one of the cutest things he’d ever seen, but he also knew a particularly cute cloud maker, so it was difficult to answer. Maybe they were on par. Maybe Victor could convince him that he was cuter. It wouldn’t take much at all.

No, he was definitely not supposed to be having thoughts like that.

“We’re not allowed to make living things.”

It was one of the biggest rules, and one that most cloud makers would’ve stuck to even if it wasn’t there. Making living beings from the clouds was difficult, exhausting. Yuuri wasn’t entirely sure how it worked. His clouds were only ever in the form of blankets, no real shape forming from them. He’d heard rumours, though. He’d heard how much trouble it is to make a cloud come to life, some people said you had to give a piece of yourself to the cloud if you wanted it to live. Yuuri wasn’t sure if that was true, but the excited little poodle on his chest certainly had Victor’s energy.

“I won’t tell anyone if you won’t,” Victor shrugged, tufts of soft clouds appearing under his feet as he stepped closer, “Do you like him?”

Sitting up, Yuuri stared back at the poodle looking up at him. Victor had made so many things in his time, so many cloud creatures for the humans below to enjoy, but none were as perfect as the poodle sitting in Yuuri’s lap. A perfect recreation, but more than that. The poodle had personality, it was excitable, and its eyes were filled with… love. Yuuri had to stop himself from hugging the little dog to his chest and never letting go. He’d probably be just as soft as he looked.

Hesitantly, Yuuri reached out, carefully brushing a hand over the top of the poodle’s head. The puppy yipped, leaning up and nuzzling against Yuuri’s hand. He was smitten, “What’s his name?”

“Well, he’s yours, so that’s up to you,” Yuuri looked up, seeing the expectant look in Victor’s eyes, “You didn’t answer me. You do like him, right?”

“Of course I do,” Yuuri couldn’t even begin to imagine how anyone couldn’t love a little poodle literally made from fluffy cumulus clouds. The dog had settled in Yuuri’s lap, resting its head on his leg and dozing happily, “But… why? You didn’t have to do this for me.”

“Because you look so sad,” Victor admitted, “I just wanted to see you smile.”

Those words stuck with him. Yuuri could hear Victor saying them even as night fell, sitting atop his carpet of cotton, Victor’s cloud barely visible in the distance. He’d no doubt be sleeping. Yuuri could only imagine how exhausting it was for him to make shapes out of his clouds all day long. Sighing softly, Yuuri laid back on his cloud, staring up at the starry sky above. He looked sad. That’s what Victor thought.

Yuuri hadn’t even realised he’d been letting his emotions show so freely. Or at least, enough for Victor to be concerned. It wasn’t that Yuuri was sad, exactly. He simply yearned for something more. Namely, an attractive cloud maker who cared far too much for him. A dangerous amount, really. Because Yuuri was trying so hard to be good, to maintain his friendship with Victor despite the feelings bubbling at the surface. Nothing could happen. Just because they were the ones tasked with the low hanging clouds in this area of the world, didn’t mean romance had to happen. Even if Victor did have very strong looking arms and looked like he could be just as soft and warm as his clouds.

All of that would be fine, too. He’d deal with thinking his friend was cute, hot, sexy, everything in between. Looks were fine. All he’d have to do is admire him from afar and nothing more, but it wasn’t just that. Victor was so much more than a pretty face, and damn, that face was pretty. He was smart, too. Smart, but so silly, so impulsive. And he was kind. Yuuri wasn’t sure there was a bad bone in Victor’s body. He was just as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside. And that’s what had Yuuri’s heart pounding like a drum. That’s what had Yuuri’s cheeks heating up at just the glimpse of that perfect smile. Victor was beautiful. Victor was perfect. And Yuuri wanted Victor to be his.

But Yuuri knew he didn’t stand a chance with him.

Yuuri felt a softness brush against his arm, the small poodle nestling against his side. Yuuri turned over to face him, brushing his fingers gently through his wispy fur. He was still trying to get used to exactly how you handled a creature made from clouds, but the little dog never seemed to mind, moving into every touch Yuuri offered.

Yuuri sighed softly as he watched the comfortable puppy at his side, “Why did Victor do this?”

That was all it took to bring the excitement back for the little dog, yapping happily and nudging Yuuri’s hand with his nose. Yuuri smiled fondly, “You like him a lot, don’t you?” It made sense, really. Victor had made him. He was the first person the little dog had seen. And if the rumours were true, Victor was literally a part of him. Yuuri hummed softly, “Yeah, I like him, too.”

Yuuri watched the dog. He was going to have to give it a name, but what to call it? A little cumulus cloud turned into a poodle. Victor’s clouds. Victor’s creation. A piece of Victor used to bring it to life. Yuuri tilted his head to the side as he scrutinized the poodle who stared back at Yuuri, panting happily. Yuuri gently tapped his finger against the puppy’s nose, “If you like him so much… maybe we should call you Vicchan? Would you like that?”

His little tail wagged rapidly, and the poodle jumped up, pressing his paws against Yuuri’s chest and licking his cheek. A truly odd feeling; being licked by a cloud. It was cold, a sheen of rainwater left behind on Yuuri’s cheek. Yuuri chuckled, carefully picking him up and placing him on his chest, “Vicchan it is.”

Yuuri quickly fell for the poodle he’d been gifted, a reminder that Victor cared about him. Maybe that’s why Vicchan had a hold of his heart; he was part of Victor, and just as cute. There was something almost romantic about it. Victor had given Yuuri a part of himself as a gift. He had a piece of Victor. A very excitable, completely adorable piece of him.

Yuuri was probably reading too much into it.

“Yuuri?”

He’d been sitting on his cloud, holding his hand up in the air and spinning it in circles as Vicchan nipped at his fingers. Yuuri had been playing the little game with him a lot over the last few days, though he’d had to make a rule for Vicchan not to float up to grab his fingers. That wasn’t fair. Sometimes he still did. Yuuri thought he was too cute to scold him for it.

Looking up, Yuuri was blessed with the sight of Victor’s soft smile, a look of adoration in those pretty blue eyes as he watched them playing together. Yuuri blushed, quickly getting to his feet, much to Vicchan’s dismay, “O-Oh, Victor. What are you doing here? I thought you had more clouds to make.”

“I do, but I wanted to see you,” Victor offered Yuuri his hand, tilting his head to the side in question, “Dance with me?”

“What?” Yuuri stared at his hand, uncertain of what to do. Every muscle in his body was aching to step closer, to take Victor’s hand and let himself be swept off his feet. But logic and reason were still there, still telling him that this wasn’t a fairy tale and he didn’t get to have a happily ever after with someone so incredibly out of his league. Just friends. That’s all they were. Dancing was very romantic, and they shouldn’t do it. Not if Yuuri wanted to keep himself from completely falling.

Deep down, he knew it was already too late for such thoughts.

“Well, I wanted to talk to you, but we need to make new clouds. This way, we’ll be able to do both,” Victor’s smile was so welcoming, Yuuri’s heart had never felt so full.

Stratocumulus clouds. A blend of Yuuri’s and Victor’s. It was something they could do when they danced together, though it was rare for them to attempt it. Mostly because Yuuri was scared to be so close to him, scared he’d never want to leave. When he thought about the way their clouds blended together to create something new, he wondered about fate, about perfect fits. Was it really so crazy to think they were made for each other?

Yes, yes it was.

Yuuri hesitantly took Victor’s hand, stepping closer and smiling shyly as Victor stepped onto his thick carpet of cloud. Yuuri was swept into Victor’s arms, into a stance Victor no doubt had practised, their hands linked together, Yuuri’s other resting on Victor’s shoulder. There was no music. There never was, but still they danced. They danced to their own rhythm, Victor occasionally turning them, his smile never faltering as he held Yuuri close. Looking into those bright blue eyes, those eyes that rivalled the sky’s beauty, Yuuri was lost, falling deeper and deeper for a man he wanted, but told himself he couldn’t have. And though he kept telling himself this was nothing more than a pipedream, his heart was warm, Victor’s hand a perfect fit for his own.

“What…” Yuuri took a shaky breath, trying to sort through his thoughts, to push away the desires, the wants, “What did you want to talk about?”

“Why you’ve been avoiding me,” Yuuri went to pull away the moment he said it, but Victor was prepared, keeping his grip on Yuuri’s hand and pulling him back, their chests bumping together. Victor’s hand on the small of Yuuri’s back increased in pressure, holding him close, “Did I do something wrong?”

“No!” Yuuri stared back at Victor, pushing down the urge to brush that silver hair from his eyes. He could probably come up with a snappy pickup line just looking at that hair. Every cloud had a silver lining, and Victor was his. No, that was ridiculous, and not at all the point of any of this. Yuuri averted his gaze, “I’m not… I didn’t mean to avoid you.”

“So, what’s wrong? I thought we were close,” Victor was moving into what was left of Yuuri’s personal space, their faces so close he could feel Victor’s breath against his skin like a warm evening breeze. He was so stunning, so close, and Yuuri’s mind was reeling.

It would be so easy to kiss him. But he couldn’t, shouldn’t. Victor’s friendship was too important. But he’d been staying away from Victor, trying to get over these feelings, and that was ruining the friendship, too. There was no winning in this fight. Maybe it was time to let his white flag fly.

“I… needed some time away from you. Because when I’m with you, I feel a lot of things. Your friendship’s really important to me, and I don’t want to ruin that,” There. He’d said it. Victor knew that he wasn’t willing to ruin the friendship, that none of his deepest desires mattered. The only thing that mattered was having Victor in his life, whatever that meant.

Victor smiled, a sparkle in his eyes, “How could you possibly ruin it, Yuuri?”

Yuuri swallowed the lump in his throat as a wave of possibilities ran through his mind, settling for the more innocent of the options, “By… kissing you,” He froze, realising he’d actually said it and deciding he needed to take it back as quickly as possible, “I-I mean, no! Not that, I just… I’m really confused right now, and I don’t want to mess things up with that.”

Victor hummed softly, contemplating Yuuri’s words, “That’s a shame. I wouldn’t have minded a kiss.”

“What!?” Yuuri’s voice cracked on the word, a mix of surprise and disbelief.

Victor’s chuckle was like music filling the air, a melody Yuuri would’ve been happy to dance to for the rest of his life. Slender fingers moved from Yuuri’s back, resting under his chin as a thumb brushed delicately over his lip, “I don’t know how many more signs you need. I thought the poodle was a pretty romantic gesture, didn’t you?”

“Vicchan,” Yuuri breathed the name, unable to take his eyes off the mischievous man in front of him, “H-His name is Vicchan. ‘Cause… he’s a part of you.”

Victor bit his lip, and oh, that was a tempting sight. What would it be like to bite Victor’s lip? Yuuri really wanted to know. As Victor rested their heads together, his hand moved to caress Yuuri’s cheek, “That might be the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Yeah?” Yuuri chuckled breathlessly, feeling intoxicated just be the proximity. Victor was like a drug. He couldn’t get enough of him, and after spending a few days away from him, Yuuri hadn’t realised how much he needed his fix.

“Yeah,” Victor nudged their noses together. So cute, so sweet. Yuuri wasn’t even sure what self-control was anymore, not when Victor was acting like this, “Can I kiss you now?”

“Please…” It had been all Yuuri could think about for so long, he was amazed Victor even needed to ask. Always the gentleman, never wanting to push Yuuri’s boundaries. And Yuuri had been the same. They were both so scared of hurting each other. How much time had been wasted dancing around each other?

It didn’t matter. None of it mattered as their lips pressed together, a carpet of fluffy clouds building around them and expanding outward. Vicchan ran in excited circles around the pair of them, yapping happily, but they were both lost to it, lost in each other. Victor was just as soft as the clouds he created, just as fluffy and sweet, and Yuuri was content to spend the rest of his life in that tender embrace.


End file.
